


One Regret

by Meraad



Series: Always Been You (Taashath/Cullen) [3]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Character Death, F/M, Fluff, sad stuff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-19
Updated: 2018-08-19
Packaged: 2019-06-29 13:42:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 803
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15730563
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Meraad/pseuds/Meraad
Summary: Years after Inquisitor Taashath Adaar disbanded the Inquisition, a small package arrives.





	One Regret

Cullen watched the messenger make his way back down the winding path from the house. Dread weighed heavy on him as he looked down at the worn leather-wrapped parcel. For Lady Adaar, the messenger had said. With a deep breath, he walked around to the back of the small cabin. They had been there for nearly two years now, it still needed some work, but everything had come along nicely. It was their home. He found Taasha just where he expected, kneeling in the dirt, in the garden she loved. She was pulling weeds and preparing to plant the new seeds she’d bought at the market with Mia a few days earlier.

Her voice carried on the wind, explaining the process to their daughter. Liora was barely two months old, but that didn’t stop Taasha. The long, wide strip of soft fabric wrapped around both mother and child, keeping Liora close against her chest while Taasha continued to work. He stood at the edge of the garden and just watched for several long moments, taking in the peaceful scene before him. He would never have imagined that this would be his life, that he would get to have this.

Taasha looked up as if she sensed him and gave him a smile. Even after all this time, they still stopped his heart in his chest. “I don’t believe your daughter cares about gardening,” she said, ducking her head down to press her lips to the silvery blonde fuzz on their sleeping child’s head.

Cullen smiled, crossing to her. “Give her time, I’m sure she’ll love it as much as her mother does.” Careful of where he stepped, he found a place to kneel in the dirt beside her, cupped her chin and kissed her.

“What is that?” she asked, glancing at the small package.

“It just arrived, for you.”

Taashath’s brow furrowed and she just stared at it, not sure why, but she didn’t want to open it. “Would you-” she gestured with her dirt covered fingers and Cullen nodded. Carefully he released the ties and pulled back the softly worn leather. “Oh,” it was barely a breath and her heart skittered in her chest. Tears welled in her eyes and she reached out, but then curled her hand into a fist, not wanting to dirty the pristine white feather.

“Let’s go inside,” Cullen said, folding the leather around the items again before he held his hand out to help Taashath to her feet. In the house, Cullen unwrapped mother and child. Taashath washed her hand, while Cullen held the sleeping infant in his arms.

The leather package sat on the kitchen table and they both looked at it. “He loved you,” Cullen said.

“I know,” she murmured, sitting down in one of the wooden chairs before she dragged the package closer. She picked up the Warden Commander badge and rubbed her thumb along it. There was a smudge of blood on one corner and she felt the tears began to roll down her cheeks. “It isn’t fair. Despite all his faults, he was a good man. He-” her voice broke.

Cullen didn’t speak for a long while, just held their Liora while Taasha cried. “Do you have any regrets?” he asked her softly.

Taashath looked up at him, quickly wiped away her tears and then held her hand out to him. “Only one,” she said as Cullen took her hand. He used his foot to pull out the other chair and drag it closer to her, then he sat down.

“What?”

Taasha smiled sadly, traced a fingertip over the bridge of Liora’s nose then cupped Cullen’s face and met his gaze. “That he never found someone who loved him as much as I love you. I wish he’d had more happiness in his life.”

Cullen covered her hand with his and pressed his lips to her palm. “You’re going to want to name our son after him now, aren’t you?” he asked, trying to lighten her mood a little.

She laughed, leaned in and rested her forehead against his. “Thomas Cullen Rutherford has such a lovely ring to it,” she told him, then kissed the scowl from his face. Liora let out an indignant squawk and caught a handful of Taashath’s hair in her tiny fist. “Oh my little one,” Taasha cooed, ducking her head down to press her lips to Liora’s forehead. “What do you think of naming your future brother Thom, I think it’s a wonderful idea.” Liora cooed in response. “Your daughter agrees,” Taashath teased, lifting her head to give him another kiss before taking Liora from him, knowing that she’d be hungry.

Cullen made a noncommittal noise and they both knew that if that was what she truly wanted, he’d give her whatever it was that she wanted.


End file.
